The Parent Sensitivity to Child Anxiety Index

Abstract

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is the perception that anxiety symptoms and experiences have negative consequences, and has been identified as a risk factor for the development of anxiety disorders. AS has been measured in adults and in children, but to date, the construct of parent’s sensitivity to their children’s anxiety symptoms has not been identified, measured, or evaluated. The current study presents a novel measure of this construct, the Parent Sensitivity to Child Anxiety Index (PSCAI), and an initial evaluation of its psychometric properties. Factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure consisting of parents’ concern for physical symptoms, concern of social evaluation, and fear of anxiety symptoms. The PSCAI demonstrated good internal consistency, and was positively correlated with relevant parental constructs such as parental accommodation, anxiety sensitivity, and trait anxiety. This new measurement system opens new avenues for researching the early development of anxiety disorders and the possibility for novel targeted interventions.